Urgent Meeting Request on Police Dispatch Costs for South Island Municipalities

March 7, 2025

Honourable David Eby, MLA Premier of British Columbia PO Box 9041 Stn Prov Gov Victoria BC V8W 9E1 Via email: premier@gov.bc.ca

Dear Premier Eby

Re: Follow up request: Urgent meeting request on Police Dispatch Costs for South Island Municipalities

We, the mayors of the 10 South Island municipalities, are writing in follow up to our letter of February 19, 2025.

Minister Begg, in his most recent letter to us dated February 20, 2025, has indicated that a review of E-Comm will be undertaken, without an extension to the transitional funding we require. We have profound frustration and disappointment with the Province’s refusal to delay the implementation of police dispatch costs to our communities’ taxpayers. Until recently, dispatch services for RCMP-policed municipalities in our region were provided through a Provincial Operational Communications Centre (OCC) at the West Shore Detachment, fully funded by the Province (70%) and the federal government (30%). This cost-sharing model remains in place elsewhere in British Columbia, and our communities deserve equitable treatment. These past years of transition funding were appreciated, on the understanding that the Province would address the funding inequities; since these inequities have yet to be addressed, transition funding should continue.

Despite multiple letters and meetings outlining our concerns, the Province has shown little willingness to engage meaningfully or consider a phased implementation. We are left questioning why only our 10 South Island municipalities are being singled out, with our taxpayers funding this cost while others across the province are not. This provincial download will result in tax increases ranging from 2.7% to 6% across our communities—an unacceptable financial burden, particularly in the face of economic uncertainty driven by potential U.S. tariffs and broader economic challenges. Expecting local governments and their taxpayers to shoulder these costs is both unreasonable and unsustainable.

At the 2024 Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention, the Honourable Mike Farnworth assured us that our concerns would be addressed. Yet, our concerns have not been addressed. This continued delay and lack of equitable treatment are unacceptable. We cannot, and will not, proceed until the following commitments are met:

• Maintain 100% transitional funding until a comprehensive governance review of the E-Comm structure is complete and actionable solutions are implemented.
• Address the funding inequity between South Island municipalities and other jurisdictions, ensuring consistent and fair treatment across B.C.
• Introduce a Call Action Levy (CAL) to offset 9-1-1 dispatch costs and align with funding models in other provinces.
• Engage in meaningful consultation with our 10 South Island municipalities on this issue that includes transitional funding and a phased implementation approach, and options to resolve the technical issues contained in the proposed E-Comm agreement.

With our 2025 municipal budgets nearing finalization, our taxpayers have been clear that they cannot absorb these costs. Therefore, we will not sign the E-Comm agreements or make any payments to E-Comm. Furthermore, for any agreement to be considered, the above concerns must be addressed no later than September 2025, allowing sufficient time for implementation in our 2026 municipal budget cycle.

Our taxpayers deserve fairness and equity. We urge you to meet with us immediately to resolve this issue and prevent the unjust downloading of provincial responsibilities onto local governments.

Sincerely,

cc: Honourable Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance Honourable Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Rob Botterell, MLA, Saanich North and the Islands Stephanie Higginson, MLA, Ladysmith-Oceanside Dana Lajeunesse, MLA, Juan de-Fuca-Malahat Ravi Parmar, MLA, Langford-Juan de Fuca Darlene Rotchford, MLA, Esquimalt-Colwood Debra Toporowski -Qwulti’stunaat, MLA, Cowichan Valley

Contact information:

Colwood: Mayor Doug Kobayashi, mayor@colwood.ca Duncan: Mayor Michelle Staples, mayor@duncan.ca Ladysmith: Acting Mayor Tricia McKay, tmckay@ladysmith.ca Langford: Mayor Scott Goodmanson, mayor@langford.ca Metchosin: Mayor Marie-Terese Little, mtlittle@metchosin.ca North Cowichan: Mayor Rob Douglas, mayor@northcowichan.ca North Saanich: Mayor Peter Jones, pjones@northsaanich.ca Sidney: Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith, mayor@sidney.ca Sooke: Mayor Maja Tait, mtait@sooke.ca View Royal: Mayor Sid Tobias, mayortobias@viewroyal.ca